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A problem reduction based approach to discrete optimization algorithm design

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Abstract

The paper presents a novel approach to formal algorithm design for a typical class of discrete optimization problems. Using a concise set of program calculation rules, our approach reduces a problem into subproblems with less complexity based on function decompositions, constructs the problem reduction graph that describes the recurrence relations between the problem and subproblems, from which a provably correct algorithm can be mechanically derived. Our approach covers a large variety of algorithms and bridges the relationship between conventional methods for designing efficient algorithms (including dynamic programming and greedy) and some effective methods for coping with intractability (including approximation and parameterization).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences, #4 South Fourth Street, Zhong Guan Cun, Beijing, 100080, China

    Yujun Zheng

  2. Provincial Key Lab of High-Performance Computing, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, 330023, China

    Jinyun Xue

Authors
  1. Yujun Zheng
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  2. Jinyun Xue
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Correspondence to Yujun Zheng.

Additional information

Communicated by José Luis Freire-Nistal.

This work was supported in part by grants from National Natural Science Foundation (No. 60773054) and International Sci. & Tech. Cooperation Program (No. 2008DFA11940) of China.

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Zheng, Y., Xue, J. A problem reduction based approach to discrete optimization algorithm design. Computing 88, 31–54 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00607-010-0085-0

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